Every year many young ball players are struck by pitched balls and seriously, and sometimes fatally, injured.
While protective devices have been worn by certain players, such as baseball catchers, such devices have been unsuitable for batters, pitchers, etc. because they have been generally cumbersome, unwieldly, heavy or interfered with performance.
In order to be useful, the protective device must be light and not interfere with activity.
Further, it must be attractive so as to not discourage the young user from wearing it.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a light-weight protective garment for use in sports.
A further object is to provide a non-interfering protective garment.
A different object is to provide a protective garment which can deflect a thrown ball.
A particular object is to provide a semi-rigid vest for sports use which does not inhibit physical movement.
The above-description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative, embodiment in accordance with the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.